Nice picture, @akum6n. Ghost Troopers are underrated. I'm glad S7 was able to make this toy happen (and in a few variations) considering around the same time Death Climax toys were coming to a halt. The Skeletor version of Ghost Trooper is one of the only Skeletor themed paint jobs that really works for me and can stand on its own merrits.
Just felt like posting some of my favorite sofubi from a great company. Sadly these are still sealed. I really need to open these.
You have a great selection of troopers, @chimply.kaiju. I want to see those bottom 3 opened so bad too. Especially the ones with what I think is tinsel (the red & clear / gold & clear). I can't recall ever seeing those two before, but they just jumped to the top of my remaining Space Troopers wish list. I asked this question once before, but perhaps you know - with the clear green and black, is that Chaos Planet Mandarake version in the pic patterned after a specific character? I want to say from a Black Ox, but that's as much as I recall, or am mistaken. It's been an itch since the last time I asked.
@boon velvet - 2 of them do have tinsel. It is the Chaos Planet Mandarake exclusive. I do not believe it's model after the Black Ox. The head is in the shape of the Mandarake logo.
Thanks for replying @chimply.kaiju. You actually educated me on the history of this version a page or 2 back. I'm sorry, I should have been more clear. I don't mean that the sculpt is in anyway related to black ox (Ha, certainly not, and I applaud you for not verbally slapping me while you thought that is what I meant ). I am referring to the colorway combo & design. Like how this Dester Commando's color choices and color placement are a specific draw from the comic book character, Wolverine (one of the most obvious blatant examples I could think of) : Or the more minimal example of these IKB Hedo tributes on Kusogons : ... I could SWEAR that distinct clear green and black design of your Chaos Planet trooper is from a specific character. My memories do not want to reveal themselves though and it's ruffling my feathers. There's a shiny silver Kinnikuman anniversary coin in it for anyone who can connect my faded dots.
Sorry JL, I misunderstood. I don't know if they were going for a homage color off another toy. I probably will be opening the clear ones to get better single pictures of them.
Try my best to digged out the family for a group shot. A few missing that I know I have somewhere hiding in totes. ***Always looking for more that I don't have.
@chimply.kaiju , Excellent After first seeing your Metal Film versions bagged, I set out to find open examples. Via an old Kaiju Chronicle blog post, I discovered that that there's not only the Death 13 and SR-02, but also a blue Captain. [Image from Kaiju Chronicle] Excuse the small size of the Captain image, but the quality of any larger size is even worse. Anthony, you have the most clear and descriptive photos of any Metal Film ST I could find. I couldn't find any evidence of a 4th Metal Film figure (anyone? Not counting the Ghost Trooper). These seem to be some of the last Space Troopers made in fact, Captain and Death13 released June 2010 with SR02 shortly thereafter. Does anyone know what the last Space Trooper made is (that was also released)? Opinion without any in hand - my favorite of these 3 metal film crew is Death 13 followed by Captain, though I like and want them all. Edit: Since I mentioned the Metal Film Ghost Trooper, here he is for anyone not familiar: [Image belongs to @Chogokin Jawa ]
This Ghost version also has tinsel inside. The Death13 & SR02 Robot header cards both list #038 in the series. I have Seed which is listed as #039 which came out in July 2010. I know Octo (name ?) was released at the same time as Seed which may be #040. I remember around this time after the Seed and Octo release, Toygraph was slowing down and releases were coming out slow and having delays through Fall to Winter until he Toygraph was no more in 2011. by chimply kaiju, on Flickr
Those are so fantastic, Anthony. I am very happy (and pleased) to see you have taken them all together and re-enjoying such great toys from one of the best modern makers. These toys deserve to be appreciated, and it makes me happy to know that they are somewhere where they will be. Beyond certain people chasing them only for the rarity or burst of hype that briefly existed, good, quality toys have staying power because they have been executed so well. And another thing with these is that the multitude gives you a lot of chance to find some you love, and also even have multiples without sweating it. I actually really like the robots, though for some reason these get the least love out of any of them. I missed a few chances on them through the years, and other 'troopers, mainly having to focus the limited funds on the prime focus, but it's something that has stuck with me. The Octo is another deep favourite of mine, you have a really fantastic figure there man, congratulations!! (The Mars Attacks! tribute is pretty darn superb too)
Steve, Thanks. Love this line. Getting a little harder to find. Wish I could have grab more at their time of release directly from Shuuji when he was offering them international. Ughg, I wanted the Octo which was released at the same time with Seed, but funds was limited at the moment so I only grabbed Seed.
@chimply.kaiju - Thanks, Anthony. It's from the older toy stash. I received it as a gift from my brother quite a few years ago after one of his trips to Japan. I think he picked it up at one of the Mandarake shops based on looks alone!
@chimply.kaiju - If I am translating correctly, this version might be the "Grand Chaos store opening commemoration" exclusive with "American" colors? Let me know if you have any other info, but perhaps I will display this one each year on the 4th of July.
It is a GrandChaos exclusive. Your translation part correct. It's "American Village" color version. The original advertisement from Mandarake: https://www.mandarake.co.jp/information/newopen/grandchaos/sale.html
Beautiful, Mark. The maquette and poster versions are actually my favourite Godzillas, and when you get one from such a fantastic maker like Toygraph, well that is the most tasty of pairings, a union of perfection. The crude/roughness of the sculpt, the detail, the glorious expression, it is all so wonderful. ||Topped off with a lovely paintjob, and then the 'victim' it is really hard to beat this toy, What a great thing to 'rediscover' and my thanks to your brother for really gifting you with a gem; I hope he knows what a good eye he has. The colour combo with those gorgeous silvers and reds, on that brown vinyl peaking through, I can't stop admiring it. I have seen the other version on rare occasion, but not to much this one. Like Anthony said, a hard piece to come by if you ever had to replace it (or hunt one, for the rest of us), and in today's unfortunate market, as nearly all other TG toys, probably wholly unaffordable. Thanks for sharing such a delight with us. It gave me great pleasure to see these photos, and know this guy is in a Goji home like few others.